Global Working Hours Reduced Due to Pandemic

The International Labour Organization (ILO) reported a 5.6% decrease in global working hours in Q1 2020 compared to Q4 2019. This percentage increased to 17.3% in Q2 2020, equivalent to the loss of 495 million full-time jobs.

In terms of regions, the Asia-Pacific region recorded the highest reduction in working hours in January-March 2020, at 7.3%. This coincides with the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in China, followed by nationwide lockdowns.

However, the situation reversed in Q2 2020. The Asia-Pacific region had the lowest percentage, while the Americas led with 28%. Other regions experienced working hour reductions in the range of 15-17%.

Nevertheless, the ILO predicts a smaller overall reduction in working hours across all regions in Q3 2020, with a global average of 12.1%.